Method of canning



Jan. 7, 1936.

J. M. YOUNG 2,026,601

METHOD OF CANNING Filed Sept.'8, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jiz' r] Jan. 7, 1936. J M, YOUNG 2,026,601

METHOD OF CANNING Filed Sept. 8, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VENT Patented Jan. 7, 1936 METHOD OF CANNING Application September 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to a method of vacuum canning and has particular reference to the protection of the container used for the product being canned, during high vacuumization of 5 the same.

The use of a relatively high vacuum such as twenty-seven inches and more, has been found to give highly beneficial canning results, particularly with some products of a cellular nature,

such as fresh fruits, these results not being obtainable without vacuum or with only low vacuum. Commercial canning with high vacuum, using the most satisfactory type of container for the product, the ordinary tin can, has

7 16 certain inherent difliculties which the present in-.-

vention overcomes. For speed of production and ease of operation, it is desirable to vacuumize only the interior of the can, but where its ex- I terior is subjected to atmospheric pressure dur- 20 ing vacuumizing, the walls of the cans, particularly of the larger sizes, sometimes fail and the cans partially or fully collapse.

The present invention contemplates protecting all or a part of the exterior can walls during vacuumizing so that the pressure of the surrounding atmosphere cannot press. against the walls and crush or distort the container. The method contemplates certain steps of procedure which may be used with any of the regular canning operations, the step of syruping a container filled with a cellular product being selected as one adaptation of the invention to canning.

The principal object of the present invention,

is the provision of an improved method of prov tecting the containers from the destructive influence of exterior atmospheric pressure during high vacuumization of their interiors without enclosing them in a vacuum chamber and without subjecting their exterior walls to vacuum.

A further important object of the invention is the provision of a method of canning under high vacuum wherein the exterior walls of thecontainers being vacuumized are protected against the crushing action of the surrounding atmosphere and wherein certain of the interior walls thereof adjacent their open ends are interiorly supported to prevent collapse during vacuumizing.' 50 Animportant object of the invention is the pro-- vision of a method of canning a cellular product in a container by protecting the exterior of the container against atmospheric destruction during high vacuumization of its interior and of the in- 55 eluded product, whereby air-ls extracted from ohn M. Young, Brooklyn, N.

American Can Company, New York, corporation of New Jersey Y., assignor to N. Y., a

8, 1930, Serial No. 480,595

the cells of the product and whereby the shape and condition of the container is unaffected.

An important object of the invention is the provision of a method of canning a cellular product and a liquid in a container by protecting the exterior of the container againstatmospheric destruction during high vacuumization of its interior and of its contents, whereby air is extracted from the cells of the product and replaced by the liquid and whereby the shape and condition of the container is unaltered.

Numerous other objects of the invention will be apparent at it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view, schematic, of the principal elementsof an apparatus adaptable to carrying out steps in the present invention, the view being .taken along a central line indicated as l-I in Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 is afragmentary showing of parts of the apparatus as disclosed in Fig. 1, but in a different position; and

Fig. 3 is a plan sec tially along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

The present invention, being for a method of protecting a container during certain canning operations, is herein exemplified in connection with an apparatus capable, of carrying out some canning operations to which steps of the invention may be adapted. For this purpose there is disclosed elements of a syruping device combined with means for vacuumizing the interior of the container.

Such an appara tional view taken substantus comprises a baseplate ll carried on the upper end of a stem 12 by means of which the baseplate is raised and lowered. A container l3, which may preferably be the ordinary tin can, is provided for the product to be canned and after filling the product into the can, the latter is placed upon the baseplate II. The plate and its superimposed can are then lifted until an upper flange H of the latter is brought into sealing egagement with a gasket ring [5 preferably of rubber or other similar resilient material, carried in a vacuum head [6.

The head I6 is secured to the bottom of a tank or vessel l1 adapted to hold a liquid I8.

largely This tank. constitutes a part of a syruping ap- In the canning of some products it is sometimes advisable to partially fill the can with syrup before it is vacuumized and in Fig. 1 such partial -filling is illustrated. The reason for such a procedure is to prevent spilling or boiling over of the liquid in the can when the vacuum is being applied to the cans interior. The can, with its cellular product but without any syrup, may first be vacuumized'and later syruped, but this takes a little longer.

The head I6 is provided with a circular projection 22 which extends below the lower surface of the gasket I5 and is of a proper size to loosely fit within the open end of the container as ,it is brought into sealing contact on the gasket I5 by raising of the plunger I I. This supports the relatively fragile open end of the can when it is vacuumized.

The head I5 is provided with a central opening 25, the surrounding walls of which are shaped to provide a valve seat 26, the opening 25 communicating, at its lower end and through the valve opening, with a chamber 21, in turn communicating with the interior of the can I3. Vertical openings 28 out through the floor of the tank I! form communicating passageways for the syrup in its flow from the tank and into the can.

An apertured boss 3| extends upwardly from the bottom of the tank I1 and provides a bearing for a vertically slidingvalve stem 32 enlarged at its lower end into a valve head 33 which cooperates with the valve seat 26 when in raised position to shut off communication between the openings 25 and 21. The upper end of the stem 32 is loosely connected at 35 to one end of a lever 36 pivoted on a shaft 31 carried by a bracket 38 extending upwardly from one of the walls of the tank II. The opposite end of the lever 36 is pivotally connected at H to an actuating rod 42 which is raised and lowered in proper time to open and close the valve 33.

The upper end of the valve stem 32 extends into and has sliding movement within a channel 45 formed interiorly of a boss 46 which is integral with a longitudinally extending frame 41 mounted on and carried by the bracket 38. A vertically extending passageway 5| through the valve stem 32 communicates at its lower end with the opening 21 in the head I6 and at its upper end with-the channel 45. A horizontal passageway 52 is formed interiorly of the frame 41 and communicates at one end with the channel 45 and at the other end with a three-way valve 53 located in a valve seat 54 formed in the frame 41.

The valve 53 is provided with a passageway 55 which extends along its diameter and connects with a radially extending passageway 56. The valve 53 is adapted to be moved into one of its three positions by an operating handle 51. In the position illustrated in the drawings, the passageway 55 forms a communication between one end of the passageway 52 and a passageway 58 leading from any suitable source of vacuum supp y- The exterior walls of the can I3 are fully or partially enclosed by a device which blocks off and protects them from atmospheric pressure during vacuumizing of the interior of the can. The preferred form of. protecting device, as illustrated in the drawings, comprising a pair of semicircular jaws 6|, 62 provided with arms 63, 64 communicating with pintle lugs 65, 66 which movably connect with a vertical stem 61 carried by the baseplate II. This construction permits hinging movement of the jaws. These jaws GI, 62 are provided with resilient faces which may be formed by semi-circular rings II, I2 formed of rubber or other resilient material. These members II, I2 are adapted to tightly engage and partially or fully enclose the can when the jaws 6|, 62 are brought together in the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3.

Provision is made for holding the jaws in locked position, the jaw 6| being formed with 10 lugs 15 which carry a pintle pin I6 on which a catch membei II oscillates. This catch member is provided with a hooked end I8 which engages a projection I9 carried by the jaw 62 and when in engaged position forms a rigid'clamp for 15 the jaws as illustrated in Fig. 3. A spring 8| is interposed between a wall of the jaw 6I and the catch member I! and normally holds the latter in locked position, a finger trigger 82 formed on the end of the catch being provided for releasing 20 the jaws from this locked position when desired.

With the can I3, filled with its cellular product I 9, in place on the baseplate II with its cylindrical wall partially or fully enclosed by the jaws 6|, 62, its upper flanged end in sealing con- 25 tact with the head I6 (as illustrated in Fig. 1), it is ready for the vacuumizing operation. The handle 51 of the three-way valve 53 is thereupon operated to connect the passageway 52 with the source of vacuum 58 by means of the passage- 30 way 55 in the valve, this being the position shown in Fig. 1. Air is immediately withdrawn from the interior of the can through the passageways 5|, 52, 55 and 58 and a high vacuum established in the interior of the container. 35

The can I3 is not in a vacuum chamber but its exterior walls are protected against the action of the outside atmospheric pressure by the enclosing walls 6 I, 62. In the drawings the eflective clamping area of these jaws is illustrated as ex- 40 tending only throughout a part of the height of the can wall and parts of the exterior of the can above and below are exposed to atmosphere.

In most cases it is not necessary to enclose the entire can wall but this may be altered at 15 will by increasing or decreasing the height of the sealing rings II, I2, thus adapting the clamping apparatus to the requirements of the can being vacuumized. v

After the interior of the container has thus 50 been exhausted of air and is in a highly vacuumized condition, the valve 53, may be shifted to cut 011 communication between the passageways 52 and 58 and the passageway 56 may then be brought into communication with the end of the 55 passageway 52. The passageway 55 thereupon extends in a vertical position and one end thereof connects with a passageway formed inthe valve member 54 and passing to the outside of the valve casing. Air from the exterior atmos- 00 phere then enters the passageways 85, 55, 56, 52 and 5I and breaks the vacuum on the interior of the can I3. The time when this breaking of the vacuum takes place will vary with the canning procedure used and examples of two differ- 65 ent procedures will now be given to illustrate this feature of the invention.

In some cases, particularly where the can is partially filled with syrup, further syrup I8 from the vessel I 'I may be introduced into the can 70 prior to breaking the vacuum. In this event the operating rod 42 may be actuated prior to movementof the valve 53 and, while the interior of .the can is still in connection with the source of vacuum, the valve 33 is lowered by movement of 76 the lever 35 and this action moves the valve from its seat 26 and places it into the position illustrated in Fig. 2. Liquid thereupon flows through the openings 28, 25, around the valve and through the chamber 21 into the can. As soon as the liquid has filled the can, the valve 53 is then operated as previously described and the interior of the can is connected with atmosphere.

In some cases it may be desirable to first cut off the source of vacuum from the can and also cut off all communication with the passageway 52. With a dead vacuum then on the interior of the can the valve 33 is opened and syrup or other liquid I8 is permitted to flow as before from the tank and into the can. When the can is filled with syrup to the proper amount, the valve 33 is closed and the valve 53 is then moved to admit air to the can.

A third procedure has already been described above, that is, where the can is vacuumized, then air admitted after which the syrup is introduced into the can from the tank 11.

'Whatever the exact procedure, when the operation of vacuumizing and syruping has been completed and the can is ready to be removed from the head it, its interior must be in communication with outside atmosphere. Lowering of the baseplate I I, which follows, then carries the can with it and withdraws it from the head Hi.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the steps and their order of accomplishment of the process described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the process hereinbefore de-.

scribed being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. The method of canning and protecting openend containers against collapse while under high vacuum, which comprises partially covering and holding against outward movement the greater part of the outsidecylindrical part of the container to prevent atmospheric pressure from coming in contact with the enveloped part thereof while supporting its interior wall adjacent its open end. i

2. The method of canning, which consists in filling an open-end container with a cellular product, partially covering the exterior cylindrical part thereof to prevent atmospheric pressure from coming in contact with the enveloped part, connecting only the interior of the container with a source of high vacuum, and supporting a part of the interior wall of the container adjacent its open end.

3. The method of canning and protecting containers against collapse while under high vacuum, p which comprises partially filling the container and then enclosing a substantial portion of the outer side walls of the container within a rigid 0 covering having a resilient packing, to prevent atmospheric pressure from coming in contact with the enclosed wall portion thereof.

4. The method of canning, which consists in filling a container with a product, enclosing a 15 substantial vertical area of the outer cylindrical .wall of the open container within a rigid covering provided with a resilient packing contacting with and extending substantially completely around the enclosed portion of the container 20 wall, to exclude atmospheric pressure from the enclosed wall portion so as to insure against collapse of the container while under vacuum, vacuumizing the interior of the container to remove occluded air and gas from the product, and then 25 filling the vacuumized space in the container with a liquid.

5. The method of canning, which consists in partially filling a container with solid and liquid contents, subjecting the interior thereof and its contents to a, high vacuum while enclosing a substantial part of the side walls of the container I along its vertical dimensions within a rigid covering having a. resilient packing in close contact with the enclosed wall portions, to exclude atmos- 35 pheric pressure from the enclosed wall part of the container, and then adding more liquid to the container prior to exposing its interior to atmosphere.

-6. The method of canning, which comprises 40 completely enclosing a substantial portion of the outer cylindrical wall of a container filled with a cellular product within a rigid covering having aresilient packing in close contact with said exterior wall portion to prevent access of atmos- 45 pheric pressure thereto, connecting only the interior of the container with a source of high vacuum, shutting off communication with the source of vacuum, introducing a liquid into the container and surrounding the cellular product, 50

and thence subjecting the interior of the filled container to atmosphere.

JOHN M. YOUNG. 

